Recreational boaters on Lake Champlain may notice Adirondack Mountains in the distance, poking up like anthills from the ground. They also may notice islands, filled with lush foliage, that are stationary and silent. One such island, which is two miles long and a mile wide, is found south of Plattsburgh. This area may give its viewer a sense of calm and peace, yet its past says otherwise. Known as Valcour Island, it was witness to a Revolutionary War naval battle between the British and Americans, called the Battle of Valcour Island. In its neighboring waters, remnants of this battle are still found under the waves.

Edwin Scollon, a New York State Trooper and diver, discovered a cannon fragment near the underwater battleground site in 1999. “My initial reaction was disbelief,” says Scollon. “I knew I had discovered a relic of the Battle of Valcour Island, but had no idea why it was there. That disbelief was soon followed by panic,” he says.

Scollon was worried that another diver might find the cannon or that it might get damaged unintentionally. A friend of his contacted the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. Director Art Cohn gave advice on what to do with the object. “Cohn convinced me that the best plan was to leave it where it was, seek the proper permits, and thoroughly study its surroundings,” states Scollon. Divers would go below and use metal detectors to find any artifacts hidden underneath the sand. “It's pretty low tech, but it's a pretty effective approach to get down quickly in the water,” says Cohn.

According to Cohn, the initial news of the cannon, made him feel different emotions. “I was both very excited and concerned,” he says. “I didn’t know Ed Scollon and I wanted to make sure the cannon was properly handled.”

According to Cohn, the discovery was only a tip of the iceberg and spurred the beginning of the Valcour Bay Research Project. This project consists of nearly a dozen volunteer sport divers and workers from the institute. The goal is to map the area for archaeological study and make a comparison to historical accounts. “It’s like a big jigsaw puzzle,” states Cohn.

"It's like a big jigsaw puzzle."

Underwater areas are divided into large squares for better examination. To remember where artifacts are located when discovered, mini fence posts are embedded into the lake’s floor. This marks the diver’s progression and helps them navigate to where they didn’t inspect already. According to Scollon, the team is split into three groups with two currently working on the American battle lines and the other working on the British line. Nearly 227,500 square feet has been examined since its inception-near equivalent to four football fields.

The cannon fragment Scollon found led to new uncovered information about what happened in battle. Through research, the cannon is believed to be part of New York, a ship part of the American fleet that escaped.

In the 18th century, Lake Champlain was an important waterway for trading. On October 11, 1776, Benedict Arnold’s fleet battled the British navy and lasted for five hours. When darkness descended, the fighting ceased. Two ships sunk near the little island-the Philadelphia and Royal Savage. Arnold and his ships then slipped past the enemy. Two days later, the British caught up with Arnold and fighting restarted. The American fleet was outgunned and surrounded, but instead of surrendering the remaining ships, Arnold sunk them all by fire.

The area around Valcour Island has had many visiting divers over the years to search for remains from the old battleground. In 1934 and 1935, Colonel Lorenzo Hagglund discovered both the Philadelphia and Royal Savage. Very little is left of the Royal Savage wooden craft, which was not preserved properly once excavated from the waters. Without immediate conservation, the wreck did not survive. The Philadelphia, however, is on display at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C.

According to Scollon, nearly 238 artifacts have been found that are from the Battle of Valcour Island. Some of these were excavated in a ceremony, on June 20, 2001, the year of the battle’s 225th anniversary. Senators Hillary Clinton and Patrick Leahy attended the ceremony and the items were then taken to the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum for preservation. According to Cohn, there is a possibility of a second artifact recovery including more cannon and gun pieces. Objects from the first artifact recovery was placed at different public exhibits in different locations like the Clinton County Historical Association and Westford Museum. An exhibit about the continuation of the Valcour Bay Research Project is being shown at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum for the upcoming 2006 season.

The Valcour Bay Research Project is still an ongoing project. According to Scollon, even though the project is a lot of work, he still enjoys being a part of it. “…I’m still as excited about the project as I was when it began; it’s been a true grass-roots effort…I’m just a part of what it has become and I’m still enjoying the ride,” he says.  

Have you visited Valcour Island?

Precautions for Divers

When Scollon found the cannon fragment, he could not bring the object to the surface with him. Why? Because he would have been breaking the law. The New York Education Law Section 233 says that divers cannot remove anything found without gaining written permission from the appropriate authorities. If an object is located, its finder is required to report it. Permits can then be acquired to excavate or study the object, but only for educational and scientific purposes, and are only issued to experienced archaeologists. If someone is leisurely scuba diving and finds an old knife from a previous battle, they do not have the right to take it with them. The object essentially belongs to its landowner.

Since the area around Valcour Island is owned by the state, the cannon found belongs to the state, not Scollon.

Philadelphia II

While the original Philadelphia is in Washington D.C., one can still see a carbon copy of this majestic ship afloat on the water. The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, with permission from the Smithsonian Institute partook in the construction of an exact replica of the Philadelphia that sank by the island. Constructed between 1989-1991, visitors can go aboard this ship as sailors did with its sister over a century ago.